Green, Gold, and Garnet
by Banana Burrito
Summary: All is well in DawnClan and DuskClan. Prey is plentiful, the season is warm, and morale is high. However, a new plague unlike any other descends into the two clans, and chaos is inevitable. Join two sibling apprentices of DawnClan on their quest to retrieve the cure for the epidemic, and their struggle between defeat and triumph.
1. None

**Hello there everyone! This is my first fanfic on this site, and I would really appreciate feedback. I plan for this fanfic to be slightly longer, and the updates will regularly come out on the weekends. Sometimes my updates will be late; I have school and a ton of homework.**

**Author's notes will be in bold (like so). The allegiances on this page won't be edited as the story goes along. This is the starting allegiances.**

**Anyway, on with the story!**

* * *

**Allegiances**

_DawnClan_

_- - - Leader_

Sedgestar - pale creamy ginger she-cat with pale blue eyes

_- - - Deputy_

Gorseclaw - dark brown tabby tom with black stripes and amber eyes

_- - - Medicine Cat_

Aldernose - gray tabby tom with watery blue eyes

_- - - Medicine Cat Apprentice_

None

_- - - Warriors_

Cloudleap - pure white she-cat with blue eyes

Ravenwhisker - black tom with white paws, underbelly, and tail-tip, and green eyes

Dewspeckle - gray white-speckled she-cat with green eyes

Grassfur - light brown tabby tom with green eyes

Sootspots - gray splotched tom with amber eyes

Ashcloud - darker gray splotched tom with amber eyes

Brackenclaw - reddish tom with yellow eyes

Gustfoot - pale brown she-cat with yellow eyes

Tanglethorn - a thickset, long-furred tabby tom with amber eyes

Frostleaf - a lithe, pure white she-cat with green eyes

Wolfclaw - a dark grey she-cat with bright blue eyes

Weaselfoot - a skinny, quick-footed tan and white tom with green eyes

_- - - Apprentices_

Cherrypaw - a small dark russet she-cat with a long nose and hazel eyes

Foxpaw - a ginger tom with yellow eyes

Hawkpaw - a large, dark brown she-cat with spiky fur and amber eyes

_- - - Queens_

Sandblossom - pretty tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

Goldwhisker - golden tabby she-cat with amber eyes

_- - - Kits_

Branchkit - a dark golden tabby om with green eyes

Snailkit - a dark tabby tom with white paws and green eyes

Morningkit - light cream-colored she-cat with light blue eyes

Sweetkit - pale silver tabby with blue eyes

Skykit - pale gray she-cat with white paws, underbelly, and tail-tip and darker blue eyes

Nightkit - dark tortoiseshell she-cat with unknown color eyes

Dustkit - pale dusty brown she-cat with unknown color eyes

_- - - Elders_

Shrewnose - mottled brown tom with green eyes

Mousestep - brown tabby she-cat with yellow eyes

Berryheart - ginger-and-white she-cat with dark blue eyes

_DuskClan_

_- - - Leader_

Stonestar - pale creamy ginger she-cat with pale blue eyes

_- - - Deputy_

Antfang - dark russet tom with yellow eyes

_- - - Medicine Cat_

Larksong - creamy brown tabby she-cat with green eyes

_- - - Medicine Cat Apprentice_

N/A

_- - - Warriors_

Deernose - mottled brown tom

Rivertail - gray tom

Rockfang - dark gray tabby tom

Mistystream - blue-gray she-cat

Harefoot - lean pale brown tom

Voleswipe - gray she-cat

Shadowheart - black she-cat

Brightear - tawny she-cat

_- - - Apprentices_

Featherpaw - gray she-cat

Minnowpaw - silver she-cat

Blackpaw - black tom

_- - - Queens_

Flamefeather - ginger she-cat

_- - - Kits_

Fawnkit - pale brown speckled she-cat

Rabbitkit - pale brown tabby tom

_- - - Elders_

Fademist - silver tabby she-cat

Whitegaze - white tom with blind eyes

* * *

**Chapter 1 : Arrival**

The crisp night sky was speckled with glittering stars, and the silvery moon produced a mystical feel to the atmosphere. All was silent and seemingly peaceful, yet tension was abundant.

In a den woven with brambles and vines laid a tortoiseshell queen, belly swollen with unborn kits. She looked as if she were about to burst. The dappled she-cat was surrounded by other anxious queens, whispering to each other and offering the tortoiseshell words of support and empowerment. An elderly gray tomcat pressed a pad to the she-cat's abdomen, clearly fed-up with the gossiping queens.

The gray tom did nothing but nod and hand a thick root to the queen, presumably to bite on during the pain of birth. The pregnant she-cat shook her head, refusing.

"Don't be a hero, Sandblossom. Take it."

Stubbornly, Sandblossom shook her head again.

The tom tossed the root aside.

A sudden wave of pain rippled through the she-cat, a gasp wrenched from her jaws. The tom gestured with his tail for the other she-cats to leave. They obeyed.

You see, this particular queen was so adored by her clanmates because she was the deputy's mate, and a popular cat among the clans. Sandblossom was lovely and easy to get along with. Her pelt was always as sleek as if she had groomed for hours that morning, and her eyes were a sparkling amber. A simple conversation with her would make any cat's day brighter. Every cat in the clan looked up to her.

After several pain-filled moments of agony, a tiny dark tortoiseshell kit slid into the mossy comfort of the den. Sandblossom immediately began to groom its wet fur.

"Thank StarClan," Sandblossom breathed, out of breath. "I never-"

The queen was interrupted by another cringe-worthy spasm, and another kit was born.

Instead of gracefully curling up in the moss like its littermate, this one awkwardly slumped to the side and sprawled on the ground, pink tongue agape in a soundless mew.

Sandblossom pulled both kits toward her, and they both suckled while she licked their fur.

They were two she-cats. One beautiful dark tortoiseshell she-cat, taking after her mother, and the other a pale dusty-brown she-cat with an overall plain pelt. You never would've guessed the latter was from Sandblossom's litter.

A tom's face appeared in the entrance. He was a dark-brown tabby tom with black stripes and amber eyes. The dappled kit took after his pelt colors too.

"Sandblossom?"

The tortoiseshell's face lit up. "Gorseclaw," She purred. "Come and meet our daughters."

The tom nosed at the little tortoiseshell's ears. "Have you decided on any names?"

"I know just the perfect one for the dappled she-cat."

Gorseclaw blinked, a silent question in his eyes.

Sandblossom laughed, a melodious giggle that floated through the ears of the many she-cats who eagerly waited outside the den. "We'll name her Nightkit. As for the pale-colored one, I was thinking Dustkit."

"Nightkit," The dark tabby murmured, nuzzling his firstborn. "Oh, and Dustkit." He gave Dustkit a light tap on the nose with his tail. Dustkit sneezed.

Both the kits' eyes were a pale, cloudy blue. When they age, their true eye colors will be revealed. They could either take on Sandblossom's emerald-green gaze or Gorseclaw's amber orbs. Either way, both colors would suit them.

Gorseclaw left the nursery and addressed the crowd gathering outside.

"Cats of DawnClan, Sandblossom has given birth to two healthy she-cats, named Nightkit and Dustkit!"

The cats cheered and dispersed, either going to the fresh-kill pile or the nursery to congratulate Sandblossom and see the kits.

At once, the dark of night was infiltrated by a brand of light indigo and soft salmon, the sun slowly regaining its position in the sky.

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**Reviews are strongly appreciated, once again.**


	2. Dust

**I will respond to the reviews in the author's note if I have time. In this fanfic, I will alternate between Night and Dust's POV. The even numbered chapters will be Dust, and the odd numbered chapter's will be Night, unless otherwise specified.**

**_Guest_ - Thanks! I really appreciate your feedback.**

* * *

**Chapter 2 : Realization**

"C'mon, Nightkit! Wake up!"

Dustkit softly battered at her sister's downy pelt with pale brown paws, spring-green eyes wide with excitement. The color of her gaze was recently discovered the day before, and everyone was talking about it. At least, she thought everyone was talking about it.

Nightkit's eye color has not been revealed yet.

The dark tortoiseshell she-cat groaned and shifted in her nest in response to Dustkit's incessant yet gentle pummeling.

"Go 'way," She murmured, a sleepy lull in her voice.

Dustkit growled and swiped at her sister's ear with a clumsy, soft paw. She missed by a mouse-length. She probably needed to work on her aim.

When it became apparent that Nightkit wasn't to get up anytime soon, Dustkit scurried out of the nursery and into the medicine den. She had been brought to the medicine den the day before, and the little she-cat was fascinated with all of the herbs in the stock.

Aldernose, an older stone-gray tom with constantly unkempt fur, was counting a pile of tiny black specks. Dustkit waggled her little tail and clambered over to him over the piles of moss that the patients slept in. Luckily, no cat had stayed overnight, and the den was empty, not including the gray medicine cat.

Upon Dustkit's arrival, the tom groaned. "Here to pester me again, little kit?"

Not knowing what 'pester' meant, Dustkit nodded.

Aldernose snorted and pushed a budding flower toward her. The petals were a sunshine-yellow.

"This is celandine," Aldernose explained. "Useful for wounded eyes."

Dustkit was bewildered, and she sniffed the four-petaled blossom. "How does this help?"

Aldernose shrugged. "I was never taught why the herbs worked by my mentor, so I don't have the knowledge to inform you," He meowed, plucking the golden flower from the brown she-cat's paws and dropping it back in its pile.

Dustkit noticed the little mountain of dark specks that Aldernose was combing through. "Are those ants?" The inquisitive kit asked, remembering an ant she and Nightkit had seen in the nursery.

Aldernose snorted, however not with amusement. "These are poppy seeds. They can make a cat drowsy, dull their pain, or soothe them."

The she-cat's light-green eyes widened with curiosity. Maybe she could wake Nightkit up with a different type of herb, like the opposite of poppy seeds. "Is there an herb to wake up a cat?" She asked, sniffing around the herb store as if she had the ability to find the right herb using her inexperienced nose.

Aldernose nodded, and pulled a leaf from his store that resembled a fern. Dustkit studied it intently.

"This is ragweed. Why do you ask, Dustkit?" The gray tom asked, putting the leaf back.

"No reason!" The pale, sandy-brown she-cat lied, and promptly exited the den, darting back to the bramble nursery, the scent of milk emanating from the structure.

"I can't wait until Nightkit's eyes change color. Of course, if they change color. She looks so adorable with blue! Or maybe green, like Sandblossom! Or amber, like Cedarclaw!" A gray pelted she-cat cooed nearby. Her white-furred companion nodded, agreeing.

"I was disappointed when Dustkit's eyes turned green. Amber eyes would've suited her pelt better."

Dustkit turned away, not wanting to eavesdrop on a conversation between two fully-grown warriors. At least, that's the reason she gave herself.

Before going inside, she silently crept behind the den and found a fern that looked very similar to the ragweed leaf.

Dustkit tugged at the fern, and the green stem broke off from the main plant. She triumphantly clutched it in her tiny maw, and trotted back into the nursery.

Nightkit was still in her nest, her tail curled around her lithe frame. Her soft breath gently disturbed the moss in her bedding, and it was mesmerizing to watch.

Dustkit clambered up to her and prodded her muzzle with a paw.

Nightkit bared her teeth in a drowsy yet ferocious snarl, squeezing her eyes shut.

"Eat this herb, Nightkit!" Dustkit mewed, pushing the frond-like leaf onto her muzzle. "It will, um, make you the fastest cat in the clans!"

Nightkit grumbled, slightly incredulous, but proceeded to chew on the leaf.

Instantly, the dappled kit spat it out, eyes shooting open. "What is that?" She asked, cleaning her tongue with her paws.

However, Dustkit could not bring herself to respond.

Nightkit's gaze was a beautiful shade of gold. It matched her pelt perfectly.

"Dustkit?"

Their commotion had caused Sandblossom to wake up from her slumber. She opened her jaws wide, exposing her white teeth and pink tongue, in a huge yawn. When the lightly-colored tortoiseshell she-cat noticed her daughter's eyes, her mouth formed a cheerful grin.

Their mother then alerted every cat in the clan that Nightkit's eyes had finally come.

Way more cats scrambled to gawk over Nightkit's golden orbs than Dustkit's eye color announcement.

Nightkit was extremely sleepy. Dustkit wasn't sure why.

"All cats old enough to swim gather beneath the Speaking Oak for a clan meeting!"

Dustkit heard Sedgestar's yowl. She wasn't allowed to attend the meeting, since she couldn't swim, but she watched from the nursery entrance. With a pang of envy, she saw Sandblossom carry Nightkit by the scruff to the roots of the Speaking Oak.

"Cats of DawnClan, Nightkit's eye color has been pronounced!" Sedgestar declared. Sandblossom lifted Nightkit high above the crowd. Her yellow-gold gaze shone in the sunlight.

Dustkit saw Cedarclaw beam from afar with pride.

Dustkit saw Sandblossom victoriously raise Nightkit for all to see.

Dustkit saw the entire clan gush over how cute Nightkit was.

Dustkit saw a look of glory flash in Nightkit's newly-golden eyes.

And she realized that they, although they were littermates, would never be equal.

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**Read and Review, please!**


	3. Night

It had been 2 moons since the announcement of Nightkit's golden eyes.

Nightkit was treated like the leader of StarClan from most cats in the clan. She had grown to become rather arrogant, and often compliments herself. Dustkit became very distant over the past few moons, spending most of her time in the medicine den with Aldernose.

The dappled kit had been secretly meeting with her father at night. The first night she snuck out with Cedarclaw was the night before the clan meeting about her eyes. She and Cedarclaw spent time together and explored the territory, and Cedarclaw had taught her the hunting crouch a few days afterward. She perfected it with ease.

The primary reason why Cedarclaw took her out at night was to train her. Sedgestar refused Cedarclaw's request to mentor her. Sedgestar had said that fathers would be gentle with their daughters. Cedarclaw then requested to have her be apprenticed early. Sedgestar also refused.

And then Cedarclaw had clandestine trainings with her at night.

He was never too harsh, but never too gentle. Nightkit could effortlessly catch a mouse now. Defensive combat training had already been taught to her, and she could dodge an attack swiftly. She was roughly six moons old.

Speaking of her age, it was time for her apprenticeship ceremony.

Sandblossom groomed her dark tortoiseshell fur thoroughly while Dustkit waited for her turn, an eager bounce in her paws. They were situated outside of the nursery, basking in the warmth of the afternoon.

Nightkit couldn't wait to discover who would be her mentor. She hoped it was Cedarclaw.

Sandblossom already knew about the secret trainings, and she approved whole-heartedly. "I feel that my kit should use her training opportunities so that when she is apprenticed, she will be prepared." The light dappled she-cat stated.

Nightkit couldn't help but feel bad about the fact that her father was secretly mentoring her while Dustkit had no idea. If Cedarclaw could train Nightkit, he could train Dustkit too. It was unfair, but she didn't complain. After all, Dustkit would probably be a medicine cat apprentice.

Sandblossom finished licking the dark she-cat's pelt, and she excitedly sprang out of her mother's paws and pounced on a leaf on the sandy ground. She remembered that she had to fake her hunter's crouch, so she purposefully got into a partially incorrect crouch and batted at the green leaf.

Meanwhile, Dustkit was given a hasty grooming.

"All cats old enough to swim gather beneath the Speaking Oak for a clan meeting!" Sedgestar yowled, taking her place in the branches of the oak tree that is located in the center of the camp.

Dappled fur groomed to perfection, Nightkit confidently strode up to the gathering crowd while Dustkit scurried after her, sandy-brown fur ruffled in places.

"Cats of DawnClan, you all know what this day is," Sedgestar began. A light chuckle arose from the masses.

"Today is Nightkit and Dustkit's apprenticeship ceremony. Dustkit, please step forward."

Silence. Dustkit slank up to the roots of the Speaking Oak, looking as if she wanted to blend in with the bark of the tree. Pure discomfort was in her spring-green gaze.

"Dustkit has chosen the path of a medicine cat. Dustkit, do you promise to uphold the warrior and medicine cat code?"

"I do," Dustkit mewed, then swallowed hard. She was clearly not accustomed to attention.

"By the powers of StarClan, I announce that you will no longer be known as Dustkit, but Dustpaw. Aldernose will be your mentor. He is a loyal and mature tom, and he has served the clan greatly in the past. He will pass on his knowledge to you."

"Dustpaw! Dustpaw!" The clan faintly cheered.

Dustpaw touched noses with Aldernose, then retreated to the back.

"Nightkit, please step forward."

Nightkit obeyed, and stood at the roots of the oak, golden eyes sparkling with anticipation. All of the clan's eyes were on her, but she felt no anxiety.

"Nightkit, do you promise to uphold the warrior code?"

"I do."

"By the powers of StarClan, I announce that you will no longer be known as Nightkit, but Nightpaw. I will be your mentor, and I will teach you everything I know and believe in."

"Nightpaw! Nightpaw! Nightpaw!" The clan yowled.

"Meeting adjourned," Sedgestar concluded, and leapt down from the branches.

Nightpaw hurried to speak with her new mentor, pushing past the crowd. She didn't stop to congratulate Dustpaw.

"Hello, Nightpaw."

"Sedgestar, I want Cedarclaw to be my mentor," Nightpaw bluntly meowed, without any greeting or preamble.

The cream-furred she-cat laughed, finding her statement humorous. "I'm sorry, Nightpaw, but I can't let you be the apprentice of your father. He would go easy on you, and nothing would get done. No cat wants to see their kit struggle," She added, a solemn look flashing in her light-blue eyes.

The way Sedgestar said that made Nightpaw wonder if she had any kits.

"Go on and get acquainted with your new denmates. I'll wake you up soon after dawn so we can go around the territory."

Nightpaw did as she told, and the dark tortoiseshell she-cat entered her new den without any hesitation.

"Well, if it isn't the kit every cat in the clan's been yapping about!" A silver tabby she-cat to the left mewed, a smirk on her face.

"I'm not a kit anymore, I'm an apprentice," Nightpaw snapped back, causing the tabby to chortle gleefully.

"Welcome to the apprentices' den, prissy-paws."

"Thanks."

There were nine apprentices in total, including her. The den was very crowded. Luckily, Cherrypaw and Foxpaw were to be made warriors in the next moon, Hawkpaw to follow soon after.

Nightpaw's favorite cat in the den was Sweetpaw, the silver tabby apprentice. Sweetpaw was sharp-tongued at times, but she latched onto her.

"What's it like having Sedgestar as your mentor?" Morningpaw asked the dark tortoiseshell apprentice, admiration in her blue gaze.

"I've only been an apprentice for one day," Nightpaw responded. She was tempted to put 'mouse-brain' at the end, like Sweetpaw often does, but she knew that it would lower her reputation among the apprentices, since first impressions were the best impressions.

"Oh, right."

Sweetpaw snickered in reply to Morningpaw's distant mew. Embarrassed, the cream and gold she-cat shrank back as if to hide herself.

Branchpaw and Snailpaw both frowned, but said nothing.

The sun was growing low in the sky, and the clouds were tinged with sunset orange and gold. Nightpaw let out a yawn. She was still exhausted from the vigorous training exercise with Cedarclaw from the night before.

Sweetpaw's eyes narrowed skeptically. "What's the matter, prissy-paws? Tired already?" She sneered.

Nightpaw hoped the nickname was affectionate. "Yeah."

The pale silver tabby apprentice snorted and left the den, Cherrypaw and Hawkpaw at her heels.

Nightpaw laid in her nest, contemplating her new surroundings and denmates.

"Hi, Nightpaw," A ginger tom near her nest greeted her, breaking the silence, since all conversation had stopped when Sweetpaw and her cronies left. She remembered his name was Foxpaw.

"Hello, Foxpaw," The tortoiseshell replied.

"Will tomorrow be your first time out of the camp?"

"Yeah."

It was very easy lying to Foxpaw, because he accepted her answer immediately. She could tell he wanted to strike up a longer conversation, but she made it clear she didn't want to speak by faking a loud yawn. Maybe it was genuine, Nightpaw didn't know.

The dappled she-cat curled up in her new nest and tried to recreate her mother's reassuring scent, or her father's proud smile. She also tried to imagine Dustpaw's comforting pale-brown form next to her as always.


End file.
